A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of hand tools, more specifically, a hand tool designed for splitting stumps and roots and of which other hand tools are formed from components of the root wacker tool.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with hand tools. As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a hand tool that uses a slide hammer and hammer cap that is struck by a hammer to engage a blade into a stump or root for extraction from the ground, and wherein the blade is aligned atop the stump or root via the slide hammer and foot plate, and wherein a handle accessory attaches for use with the whacker tool and of which can be dis-attached and connected to either the slide hammer or blade to form other hand tools comprising a sledge hammer or ax, and of which a saw accessory can be extracted from the tool.
The Ritzmann Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0035496) discloses a wood splitter comprising a splitting wedge and an impact weight slidable along the length of the rod to drive the wedge through the log to be split. However, the rod does not have a hammer cap attached thereon from which a hammer or mallet strikes said hammer cap to impart a force upon a blade that cuts into a root or stump located in or upon compacted soil.
The McKeen, Jr. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,878) discloses a hand held log splitter consisting of a reciprocating slide hammer device with alternate cutting tools including a root cutter that are removably coupled to the shaft through a quick release collar system. However, the log splitter is not designed for use with roots or stumps located in compacted ground, and of which involves a hammer cap atop the shaft from which a hammer or mallet strikes said hammer cap in order to impart a force into a blade that cuts the root or stump, and of which is aligned via a slide hammer and foot plate.
The Gilbaugh Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,055) discloses a plant transplanter comprising a cross bar handle, a plant entry blade capable of cutting roots, and a reciprocating slide frame for the plant ejector. However, the plant transplanter is not suitable for cutting roots or stump positioned within compacted ground, and comprises a blade that cuts via a force applied by a hammer cap resting upon a shaft of which a slide hammer is located for use in alignment along with a foot plate.
The Wilson Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,727) discloses a log splitter formed of a vertically arranged tube, within which a metal rod is telescopically slidably fitted. However, the log splitter does not include a blade mounted upon a shaft having a foot plate and slide hammer for alignment thereof, and of which is imparted a driving force via a hammer cap resting atop said shaft.
The Cross Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,264) discloses a log splitter comprising a telescoping member slidably mounted on a post with a wedge, and a laterally extended plate for driving the wedge through the log. However, the log splitter is not suitable for cutting roots or stump positioned within compacted ground, and comprises a blade that cuts via a force applied by a hammer cap resting upon a shaft of which a slide hammer is located for use in alignment along with a foot plate.
The Ideen Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 257,575) illustrates a design for a wood splitter, which does not depict a foot plate, slide hammer, or hammer cap for use in engaging and cutting roots and/or stumps located within compacted soil.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a hand tool that uses a slide hammer and hammer cap that is struck by a hammer to engage a blade into a stump or root for extraction from the ground, and wherein the blade is aligned atop the stump or root via the slide hammer and foot plate, and wherein a handle accessory attaches for use with the whacker tool and of which can be detached and connected to either the slide hammer or blade to form other hand tools comprising a sledge hammer or ax, and of which a saw accessory can be extracted from the tool. In this regard, the root wacker tool departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.